1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automated external defibrillators. In particular, the present invention is an automated external defibrillator with a self-test system for automatically and periodically testing the operational status of the defibrillator, and for providing service alerts if faults are identified.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automated external defibrillators or AEDs are used by police officers, paramedics and other first-responder emergency medical technicians to resuscitate cardiac arrest patients. It is important that the AEDs carried by these technicians be continuously operational and ready for use on a moments notice. To help ensure a high level of confidence that they will be operational when needed, AEDs should be periodically checked and tested by the technicians, and corrective maintenance performed if any faults are identified. By way of example, AED functions and components that should be periodically checked and tested include the charge state of the batteries, the presence of electrodes and the ability of the device to charge and deliver defibrillation pulses. The American Heart Association recommends that AEDs be tested daily or at the beginning of a shift.
Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons the frequency at which AEDs are tested by the technicians that will be using them varies. Since studies have shown that the chances of successfully resuscitating a patient decrease approximately ten percent per minute following cardiac arrest, the consequences of first-responder medical technicians arriving at a rescue location with a nonfunctional AED can be severe. There is, therefore, a continuing need for AEDs capable of being reliably maintained in a functional state.